


and we will come back (home, home again)

by wildforce71



Category: Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: Antonio and Jayden sleep together, Found this in my files, Gen, They are in a bed together, and you know that's saying something, even for me, in the literal sense, it's a bit weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-05 16:04:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17328158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildforce71/pseuds/wildforce71
Summary: A Nighlok attack prompts the sharing of secrets.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SailorSol](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorSol/gifts).



Antonio's already shrugging out of his shirt before the others have even reacted. The Nighlok's shouting about drying out; he ignores it, dropping to his knees next to Jayden and wrapping his shirt around the tiny, too-thin shoulders.

The little boy – younger even than when they met; this is bad in so many ways – accepts it, tugging it around himself, shivering. "Who are you?"

Yeah, very bad. He hasn't just been de aged, his mind's gone back too. "I'm a friend. My name is Antonio."

"I want Lauren."

"Lauren's not here right now," he says automatically. "We can go and see Ji, though."

"Where are we? Who are you?"

"We're in the south square in Panama City." And they need to get gone; if Master Xandred has any idea that this has happened... "What's the last thing you remember, Jayden?"

"I want Lauren." His lip's starting to tremble.

"Who's Lauren?" Mike says from behind them. Too loudly; Jayden tries to scramble to his feet, hampered by his too-large clothes.

"Mike, shut up," Antonio tells him. Turning back to Jayden, he bows; a proper, Samurai-to-his-lord bow, something he's never done before, not for Jayden. "I am your retainer. Will you please come with me?"

"You're too old," Jayden says suspiciously.

"All of yours are too young yet."

"You're too young to be my father's."

"I am yours," Antonio says softly, and something in his tone must have gotten through, because Jayden looks a little less terrified. "I'm here to protect you. Please let me do that."

Jayden studies him for a long time; Antonio can sense Mia elbowing Mike to keep him quiet, but he doesn't look away from the child in front of him.

"What family?" Jayden demands abruptly.

"I'm not from the Families, I came to you on my own," Antonio says steadily. 

"What about them?" He jerks his chin towards the others.

"They are from the Families. Let me take you to Mentor Ji. You'll recognise him, won't you?"

Jayden must have recognised the evasion, but he nods. Antonio smiles, relieved. "Let's see if we can do something about your clothes, ok? Don't want you to trip. Em, can you give me a hand please?"

"Of course." Emily kneels beside Jayden, chatting while she pins and ties his clothes, keeping him occupied while Antonio draws the others away.

"Try not to say each other's names," he says quietly. "Jayden's about four or five, I think, you're all born already. Let's not confuse him any more than he is."

"Who's Lauren?" Mike asks. "Do you know?"

"Never heard the name before. Maybe she's his nanny, or something. Or maybe he made her up. He didn't have much company at this age."

"He hasn't met you yet?" Mia asks.

"He was seven. Someone call Ji and warn him; let's not give him a heart attack."

Kevin nods, dropping to the back of the group. Antonio turns back, just as Emily proclaims "Well, that's no good."

"What's wrong?" he asks, coming back to hunker beside them.

"His shoes are too big," Emily says. "There's nothing I can do about it."

"No, I guess there isn't," Antonio agrees. "Well, I know a remedy for that." Turning, he presents his back to Jayden. "Hop up."

Jayden doesn't move, and after a moment Antonio turns to look back at him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm supposed to walk tall," Jayden informs him. "My father says I have a proud heritage to live up to."

"Walking tall is good," Antonio agrees, "but not bare foot, and that's what you'll have to do otherwise. Come on. I'll walk tall for both of us."

Jayden gives in, climbing onto his back. Antonio lets him settle before rising to his feet, catching his balance without effort. Jayden doesn't weigh anything.

"All right?" he asks. "Let's go."

Em walks beside him, chatting easily. Mia's on his other side; she has more experience of children this age, Antonio thinks dimly. The boys linger behind them, talking quietly.

Jayden's answers get shorter and shorter, and Antonio can feel his grip loosening. He isn't surprised when Emily stops talking, leans in for a moment, and tells them "He's asleep."

"Poor kid," Mia murmurs. "How are we going to fix this?"

"The same way we fix anything a Nighlok does," Antonio says without looking at them. "We destroy the Nighlok."

The girls are looking at each other as though he's said something very upsetting. Antonio ignores them. They're almost home.

Ji's waiting on the porch. Antonio has Mia help him shift Jayden from his back into his arms; it feels important to keep him close. Mentor leans in to study Jayden carefully; Antonio puts up with it for a full minute before brushing past him and taking Jayden inside.

Jayden's room is perfectly tidy, apart from the sweatshirt Antonio himself had dropped in a corner two days ago. He eases the boy onto the bed, watching as he rolls into a ball, curled tightly in on himself.

"Who's Lauren?"

Ji sighs from behind him. "I am not permitted to say."

"Well, you'd better think of something you are permitted to say, because he's going to ask. He wants her very badly."

"Yes. I am not surprised."

Antonio pulls on the discarded sweatshirt and settles on the side of the bed. “I’ll let you know when he wakes up,” and it’s a clear dismissal. He’s surprised Ji doesn’t argue, honestly, but instead he turns and leaves, closing the door.

Antonio puts his back to the headboard and prepares himself to sit up for the night. He’s not expecting Jayden to roll towards him, wrapping his arms around Antonio’s leg, settling in against him as though he’s slept there every night. Antonio stares at him for a moment before carefully resting his hand on Jayden’s shoulder. The boy presses into the touch, still fast asleep.

Antonio has to look away.

 

 

He dozes for a while, not proper sleep. The others are moving around the house, he can hear them every now and then, but no one comes near the room. It's more restraint than he'd expected. 

He wakes properly when Jayden goes rigid against him. "Hey, little guy," he murmurs without moving. "How're you feeling?" 

"I thought you were Lauren." He still sounds half asleep. 

"No, I'm not Lauren." 

"Antonio," Jayden says carefully. 

"Yeah. That's me." 

Jayden uncurls, sitting up to look around. "Why are we here?" 

"You were tired." 

"No, why are we here? This isn't my room." 

"Isn't it?" Antonio looks around. Jayden had been sleeping here at seven, when Antonio had known him first. "Whose room is it?" 

"I thought you were my retainer. Why don't you know?" 

"I'm new." 

Jayden is studying him, suspicion back on his face. Antonio holds in a sigh, climbing – carefully – off the bed and crossing to the door. Kevin's sitting crosslegged a couple of doors down, studying a book that's probably as old as the Shiba family, from the look of it. "Can you get Mentor, please?" 

"Sure," Kevin agrees, setting the book aside and standing. "Need anything?" 

"Maybe after Mentor." 

"Ok." Kevin vanishes down the corridor. Antonio stays where he is, leaning in the doorway with one eye on Jayden, until Mentor arrives, stepping past him into the room. 

"Jayden," he says with a smile. "How are you feeling?" 

"Where's Lauren?" Jayden demands. 

"She's away training," Mentor says smoothly. If Antonio hadn't known better, he'd have believed him. 

"When is she coming back?" 

"When her training is finished." 

"I want to talk to her." 

"I'm sorry, Jayden. That's not possible." 

Jayden's lip is trembling again. "Where is Father?" 

"He's not here, either. I'm looking after you, with some help." He gestures towards Antonio and the door. 

Jayden glances at Antonio but dismisses him. Antonio tells himself firmly that there's no reason that should hurt as much as it does. Jayden doesn't know him, after all. 

"Why am I in this room? This is Lauren's room." 

"Since she is not here, you've been using this room." 

"Make her come back." 

Ji shakes his head. He looks old. "I'm sorry, Jayden. She can't come back until her training is over. You know about this, your father told you." 

"It shouldn't be for years and years! Where is he? I'll ask him to bring her home." 

"He's not here," Ji says patiently. 

"Is he my retainer?" Jayden demands, pointing at Antonio. Ji turns enough to glare at Antonio, who shrugs helplessly; he hasn’t actually lied, just been careful with the truth to win Jayden’s trust.

“Yes,” Ji says finally, turning back to Jayden. “He is.”

Jayden climbs off the bed, coming to stand in front of Antonio. “Bring Lauren home,” he orders.

Antonio hunkers to get closer to his level. “If Ji says she needs to –“

“I hate you,” Jayden interrupts him. “And I hate you,” he tells Ji. “I want Lauren!”

“She cannot come,” Ji says evenly. “Are you hungry?”

Jayden turns his back, folding his arms.

“As you wish. When you are ready to eat, you may come downstairs. Antonio, come with me.”

Antonio looks uncertainly at Jayden, but he follows Ji into the hall. “What’s going on?” he asks quietly.

“I had almost forgotten,” he mutters.

“Forgotten what?”

Something crashes in the room. Antonio turns to look at the door; Ji seems unsurprised.

“Jayden had strong opinions at this age,” he says. “And he was not afraid to express them. He grew quieter after his father’s death.” Something else crashes. “I hope you didn’t leave anything you value in there.”

“Just Jayden,” Antonio murmurs.

“Leave him. He will come down in a while.”

Antonio slides in front of Ji, blocking him. “Who is Lauren?”

“I’m not permitted to tell you,” Ji says again.

“Who doesn’t permit you?”

“My oath is to the head of Shiba House, and only the head of Shiba House can release me.”

“Jayden’s the head of Shiba House.”

“Jayedn’s four years old. He can’t release me from anything.” Ji studies him for a moment before lowering his head. “When Jayden is himself again, ask him about Lauren. If he permits it I will tell you anything you want to know. Until then, I have made a vow and I cannot break it, any more than you could break yours.”

“No,” Antonio mutters. “I suppose you can’t. We should tell him what’s happening.”

“I think that is unwise,” Ji warns him. “When the Nighlok reappears, when you destroy him, Jayden will be as he was.”

“If Master Xandred knows what’s happened, that Nighlok will never reappear. Xandred’ll keep him on the Sanzu to keep Jayden this age. We can’t keep lying to him. As soon as he hears the others’ names he’ll know something’s going on.”

Ji hesitates for a long moment. “If the Nighlok has not returned by the time Jayden comes downstairs, you may tell him whatever you think is right.”

Antonio nods, flinching as something smashes inside the room. “He’s not going to hurt himself, is he?”

“He never has before. Come downstairs. The others will be worried.”

Antonio follows him downstairs, fighting the urge to go back in and wrap Jayden in a hug.

 

The others are half heartedly practising in the dojo. Antonio waves, easing down to sit on the living room steps. 

"What's going on?" Emily asks, wide-eyed. "Is that Jayden making that noise upstairs?" 

"He's throwing a tantrum," Antonio tells her. "Apparently he's prone to them at this age." 

"And he's throwing a tantrum why, exactly?" Mike asks. 

Antonio can see Ji flinch from the corner of his eye. "Because we can't produce his father." 

"Oh." Mia frowns. "I hadn't thought...none of that has happened for him yet, has it?" 

"Not for another couple of years," Antonio confirms. "Mentor says when he's worn himself out he'll come downstairs. I'm going to tell him what's happened then." 

"Is that wise?" Kevin asks with a frown. 

"Better than trying to hide it from him. Jayden's smart, you know he'll figure out that something's going on. This way maybe he'll trust us, if we're not trying to hide anything from him."

“He’ll trust you anyway,” Emily tells him.

Antonio shakes his head, but he doesn’t argue. “Who has the lion zord?”

Mentor holds it out. Antonio takes it from him, studying it for a minute before shoving it into his pocket.

They go back to practise. Antonio watches. He doesn’t often spar with them; Jayden can keep up with his unorthodox styles, but the others have trouble, sometimes. Today, with everyone a little distracted anyway, is not the time to push them.

The noise upstairs stops. Mentor vanishes into the kitchen. They keep practising.

It’s some time – maybe an hour – before Antonio hears footsteps in the hall. He doesn’t look up, watching the others redouble their efforts to look like they’re practising.

“Sorry I said I hate you,” Jayden mumbles.

Now Antonio looks over, keeping a smile on his face. Jayden looks completely wrung out. “Forget about it, kid. Are you hungry? Mentor went to get something ready.”

Jayden’s looking past him, into the dojo. “Who are they? Please?” The ‘please’ is tagged on and clearly secondary.

Antonio reaches out, not quite touching him, just enough to get his attention. “I’m going to tell you. But first of all, are you hungry?”

Jayden studies him for a moment. “And then you’ll tell me?”

“Then I’ll tell you.”

“I’m hungry, please.”

“Good. Go wash your face, and then come in the kitchen, ok?”

Jayden goes. Antonio leans against the wall for a moment.

“You’re doing really well,” Mia tells him.

“Thanks, but –“

The alarm goes off.

Antonio grimaces, turning to look at the others. “You go. Call me if you need me, but…”

“We’ll be fine,” Mia promises, smiling at him before heading out at a run. The others follow; Mike tips his morpher at Antonio in a silent promise to call him.

Jayden comes back. “What’s that noise?”

“It’s nothing to worry about right now; I’ll explain it after we’ve eaten.”

“It’s going to be a long explanation,” Jayden notes, but he lets Antonio steer him into the kitchen.

Mentor looks up from the dishes. “Everything all right?” he asks, and he’s addressing Jayden but he’s watching Antonio.

“I’m sorry I yelled,” Jayden says contritely.

“Did you clear up?”

“Yes, as much as I could.”

“I will help you with the rest when you’ve eaten.”

“Antonio’s going to tell me about the others when I’ve eaten.”

Mentor straightens, eyeing him. “Is he.”

“He said. What’s for –“ He hesitates, looking at Antonio. “Lunch?”

Antonio glances at the nearest clock, mildly surprised to find that it’s evening. “Dinner, I think,” he says. “It’s later than I thought.”

“What’s for dinner?” Jayden says obediently.

Mentor gets him settled at the table with what looks like soup. Antonio leans against the wall, watching what he can see of the hallway. The others will probably call, when they’re done fighting, but he can’t quite stop watching anyway.

“I’m finished now, Mr Antonio.”

He shakes himself, looking back at Jayden. “It’s just Antonio, Jayden, not Mr Antonio. Is that a cookie?”

Jayden whips it off the table. “No.”

“Are you sure? It looks like a cookie.”

He pulls it back out, studying it. “…maybe it’s a cookie?”

“I could taste it and see,” Antonio offers.

Jayden crams it into his mouth. “Ffa ooke,” he says, beaming.

“Don’t speak with food in your mouth,” Ji says automatically.

“f’ry Ee.”

Ji sighs. “Honestly…”

Jayden swallows, coughing. “I’m finished now, so will you tell me? You said you’d tell me.”

“Yeah.” Antonio comes to sit beside him. “I’ll tell you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Jayden takes it far more calmly than Antonio was expecting.

Of course, even at this age he knows about the Nighlok, and about his family’s role in fighting them, but he seems to have little difficulty believing that he’s actually eighteen and leading a team in the War, either.

“Is that why Lauren –“

“Careful,” Antonio warns him. “You’ve never told us anything about Lauren. She must be a secret, for some reason.”

Jayden looks guiltily at Mentor. “I forgot.”

“It doesn’t matter. Just be careful. And yes, that is why.”

“Because it’s been years and years.”

“Because it’s been years and years,” he agrees.

“And those are my team?” Jayden frowns suddenly. “The Yellow’s name is Serena.”

“Serena’s Emily’s sister,” Antonio tells him. “She’s sick and she can’t serve, so Emily came instead.”

“Oh. Are they fighting right now?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Why are you here?”

“They don’t need me right now.”

“No, I mean…” He shifts. “You’re not Family. Why are you here? There’s no Sixth in our team, and Ji looks after me.”

“We were friends when you were seven,” Antonio says, deliberately ignoring the fact that he’s saying this to a four year old. “You told me about the fight, and when I had to leave town I promised to come back and help. And I did.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to help, Jayden.”

“Antonio is not of the Families,” Mentor says, “but he has proved himself many times since he’s been with us, and you trust him very much.”

Jayden studies Antonio for a moment before nodding. “All right.”

“We’re back!” Mike shouts from the living room. Jayden slides down off his stool and trots out to meet them.

“Well done,” Mentor murmurs.

“Thank you,” Antonio answers sincerely, following Jayden.

“…really Rangers?” Jayden is asking.

“We sure are,” Mike agrees cheerfully. 

“Did you use your Zords?”

“Not this time. It was only Moogers, we didn’t even need to morph.”

“That reminds me,” Antonio says apologetically, “I still have this.” He digs the Lion zord out of his pocket, holding it out to Jayden.

Jayden stares at it for a moment. “I forgot,” he mutters, reaching to take it. At his touch the Lion springs to life, bouncing on his palm. Jayden laughs, crouching to put it on the table and watching intently.

“Forgot what?” Mike asks before Antonio can stop him.

“That it’s mine,” Jayden says absently. Mia’s put down the Turtle and the Lion’s tussling good naturedly with her.

Mike grimaces. Antonio shrugs at him, settling beside the table to watch the game.

“What Zord do you have?” Jayden asks him, laughing as the Turtle retracts suddenly and the Lion misses his strike, overbalancing.

“Octopus,” Antonio says absently.

“That’s a Shiba Zord.”

“I know. You let me use him. And the Light Zord’s repaired, I use that sometimes.”

“Light Zord,” Jayden repeats. “I don’t know that one.”

“It’s been damaged for a long time, so you probably haven’t heard of it. I got lucky and managed to fix it.”

“He’s not lucky, he’s just really good,” Mike tells Jayden.

“I think I’m pretty lucky,” Antonio murmurs.

Mentor comes in from the kitchen. “Jayden, you need to come upstairs with me. We need to make sure your room is cleared up before you go to bed.”

Jayden nods, tapping the Lion. The little zord folds up and he picks it up. “Do you think I’ll wake up the right age?”

“We can hope,” Mentor says. “But if you do not, we’ll figure out a way to fix you. Say goodnight and let’s go.”

Jayden bows to the room. “Goodnight. Thank you for being my team.” They murmur variations on ‘good night’ and he heads off with Mentor.

Antonio sighs, rubbing his face. “Anyone mind if I head off too? Long day.”

“Of course not,” Mia tells him.

“Do you need anything?” Emily adds.

“No. Thanks. I’m fine. I’ll see you guys in the morning.” He hesitates on the way out. “No one’s hurt, right?”

“We’re fine,” Kevin tells him. “Go on.”

Jayden and Mentor are talking quietly in Jayden’s room. Antonio considers offering his help, but eventually he decides they might prefer the freedom to talk. He plods down the hall to the guest room he usually uses when he stays over, asleep almost before he lies down.

He doesn’t really wake up when a tiny body climbs in with him during the night, just rolls over to make room and drifts off again.

 

Jayden wakes early in the morning. Antonio ignores the huffing, sighing and ‘accidental’ kicking for as long as he can. Eventually he rolls over to glare at him. “What’re you doing?”

“It’s time to get up.”

“Off you go, then.”

He bounces a couple of times. “I’m not allowed to get up on my own.”

“Why not?”

Jayden shrugs, grinning. “We kept running out of cookies. Why aren’t you up practicing?”

“It’s not time for that yet. Do you really get up this early every day?”

“Lauren always –“ Jayden abruptly shuts down, wrapping his arms around himself and staring at the floor.

Antonio rolls out of bed, rubbing his face. “Well, if Lauren always, we better. C’mon, let’s go see if there’s anything to eat before Mia gets there.”

“I forgot,” Jayden says quietly.

“I know you forgot, but you didn’t say anything bad, so don’t worry about it. Now…” He hesitates, studying Jayden. “Clothes,” he mutters. Jayden slept in someone’s tshirt, but he can’t go around in that all day.

“Mentor found some old ones in storage,” Jayden offers. “They’re in the – my room.”

“Let’s go see what there is, then,” Antonio says, pulling on a clean tshirt and opening the door, ushering him out.

They find pants and a shirt; Antonio rejects the tiny gi out of hand. He doesn’t want Jayden wearing that today. Jayden dresses without question, taking Antonio’s hand as they head down to the kitchen.

Kevin’s been and gone; the coffee machine’s on, humming quietly. Antonio flips it off and crosses to the fridge, poking around. “Fry up?”

“That has grease,” Jayden points out, scrambling onto a stool to watch him. “And fat.”

“Yes, but you know what else it has? An awful lot of taste. What do you say? Just this once?”

“Ok,” he says reluctantly. “Can I help?”

“You can lay the table if you want; don’t come near the cooker in case the grease spits at you, ok?”

“Does grease spit?” he asks in surprise.

“Sometimes, and it burns pretty badly. It’s safe if you know what you’re doing, I’ll show you sometime, ok?”

Jayden nods and starts trotting back and forth between the table and the cupboard to lay out plates, glasses and cutlery. Antonio mostly lets him do it; he’s staying well away from the cooker and he’s careful not to try to carry too much at once.

Once he has everything plated up, Antonio carries it to the table and then grabs a jug of juice out of the fridge. “Here, we’ll drink healthy since we’re eating all this stuff,” he tells Jayden, filling their glasses. “Eat up.”

Jayden takes a tentative bite, grins in surprise and tucks in. Antonio grins, eating his own. He wonders vaguely how strict Jayden’s father was; Mentor likes them to eat healthy, but he doesn’t object to meals like this every so often.

After they’ve eaten they head to the dojo, where Antonio discovers a couple of child sized weapons have been left ready. He can’t spar with Jayden, of course, but they adjust one of the dummies to make it easier and Jayden batters it enthusiastically for a while.

“Nice swordplay,” Antonio tells him, knowing that he won’t get the joke.

“Thanks!” Jayden says breathlessly, still poking at the dummy’s helmet.

The others pass by, heading outside to practice. Jayden doesn’t stop, exactly, but he slows down, watching after them.

“Do you want to go and watch?” Antonio offers.

“I can’t spar?”

“It’s not a good idea. You’re a lot littler than they are. Although you’re probably about Mike’s level.” He deliberately says it loudly enough to be heard, and he’s rewarded with an indignant “Hey, that’s not – ow, Emily!”

“But we can go and watch,” Antonio says. Jayden nods eagerly.

Mike’s still rubbing his arm, scowling at Emily. Mia and Kevin are moving smoothly through a complicated routine. Antonio watches Jayden watch them, eyes flickering back and forth with the movements. “They’re so good,” he says, almost surprised.

“Yeah. They’re very good,” Antonio agrees. “You trained them really well.”

“I did that?”

Emily crouches in front of the deck, smiling at him. “We all learned from our parents, but we learned alone. You taught us how to fight as a team. Together.”

The alarm goes off.

Antonio automatically draws Jayden in against himself, but Mentor appears moments later. “It’s the Nighlok,” he says. Looking at Antonio, he adds “You must go. The team will need your help.”

Antonio nods, loosening his grip on Jayden and hunkering. “We’ll be back soon, ok? Stay with Mentor.” Jayden nods, clutching Mentor’s hand tightly.

Antonio doesn’t look back as he leads the others out.


	3. Chapter 3

Antonio doesn’t remember much of the fight. He slots into Jayden’s space in the formations, tearing through Moogers, fighting through the Nighlok’s first life. The others can’t form a Megazord during the second life; Antonio takes the lead, fighting mercilessly until the Nighlok is destroyed.

He doesn’t remember much of the trip home either. He thinks the others tried to make him slow down, and then gave in and just kept pace with him. He’s never wished for teleportation more. Maybe there’s a symbol…

Mentor’s in the living room; he stands as they come in. “He’s sleeping.”

“Is he all right?” Antonio demands, hearing the others pile in behind him but paying them no attention.

“The transformation was – difficult. Don’t wake him, but you may go and see him.”

Antonio had fully intended to go and see him anyway. He nods curtly, heading for the stairs. The others hang back, though they have to be nearly as desperate as he is. He tries to remember to thank them later.

Jayden’s curled into a tight ball, one hand wrapped around his head. Antonio reads pain in the set of his shoulders and winces. Climbing carefully onto the bed, he rubs Jayden’s shoulders gently until he relaxes without waking. Antonio settles beside him, meaning only to rest for a little while. Just for a few minutes. Then he’ll go down and talk to the others.

Jayden’s awake and watching him when he opens his eyes. “What’s wrong?” he asks, just above a whisper.

“Nothing,” Antonio replies at exactly the same volume. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Why are you here?”

“Needed it.”

Jayden watches him for another minute. “What happened?”

Antonio sits up, rubbing his face. “You don’t remember?”

“No. We were fighting…”

“You got hurt. But you’re fine now.”

Jayden’s gaze goes distant for a moment. “I don’t feel hurt.”

“Told you, you’re fine. Don’t you ever listen?” He grins, deliberately, and Jayden responds automatically. “Go wash your face and come eat, you’ve been asleep for a while.”

“Yes boss.”

“Don’t start, I’ll unleash Mentor on you. No, wait – I’ll unleash Emily on you.”

Jayden raises his hands in surrender. “I’m going.”

“Good.”

Jayden turns away. Antonio catches at his hand, entirely without meaning to. Jayden doesn’t ask, just squeezes gently and waits for him to let go. Antonio holds on for just a moment, long enough to remember that Jayden doesn’t let anyone else do this, and then lets go. Jayden smiles and continues to the bathroom.

Antonio has long enough to tell the others that Jayden doesn’t remember anything, and they’re mostly over the protests and confusion by the time he comes downstairs. There’s a relatively awkward meal, but the awkwardness drains away as they eat and by the end of it things are mostly back to normal. Mentor refuses to let Jayden practice, but he watches them and calls corrections and instructions as they go. After practice they play a board game for a while; no one seems very eager to leave Jayden alone, but the others trickle away over the evening and leave him with Antonio and Mentor.

Jayden clearly knows that something is going on, but he hasn’t asked until now. When Mia leaves for bed he starts sorting out the game pieces, concentrating on the job. “What happened?”

Mentor tells him, more or less. Jayden starts shaking his head at ‘four years old’ and keeps shaking it right through the rest of the recitation.

Mentor doesn’t mention Lauren at all.

Jayden leans towards Antonio a little. “Thanks.”

“Any time,” Antonio assures him, smiling brightly. “You were cute as a kid. Although I never did give you any cookies.”

Jayden groans, dropping his head. “I used to sneak cookies, didn’t I.”

“You did,” Mentor agrees, smiling. Antonio’s never seen that smile before. “And you were very skilled at climbing.”

Antonio’s tempted to ask if Lauren helped, but he restrains himself. He thinks it’ll probably upset Jayden. “I’m going to go to bed,” he says instead. “I’ll be out early tomorrow, I’m behind in work. I’ll come back for lunch.” He didn’t mean to add that last bit, but Jayden’s looking at him oddly.

“Sleep well,” Mentor says, clearly a dismissal. Antonio nods to them both and leaves them there.

He could probably sleep in Jayden’s room – it wouldn’t be the first time by a long shot, Mentor’s given up even looking disappointed at this point – but it feels strange tonight. He goes to his own room and falls into restless sleep.

He has no idea what time it is when Jayden lies down beside him; it’s dark out, that’s all he can tell. “What’s wrong?” he asks quietly, reaching for Jayden’s hand and rubbing a thumb over his knuckles.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Jayden answers. “I just needed it.”

They lie in silence for a while; Antonio’s almost asleep again when Jayden shifts his hand, just enough to draw him back towards wakefulness. “Lauren’s my sister.”

 

Antonio doesn’t ask questions. He doesn’t comment on the stupidity of the plan. He just holds Jayden and lets him talk about Lauren.

At seven years old, Jayden was already keeping this secret. A tiny part of Antonio is impressed. The rest of him is pissed off that it was necessary. He can’t see any reason Lauren couldn’t have trained here. Jayden could still have handled the fights.

Jayden falls asleep eventually, worn out. Antonio stays awake for a while, staring into the darkness and thinking of a girl ripped from her family and raised in secret.

They don’t talk about her the next day. As far as Antonio knows, Mentor doesn’t know he knows about her, so he never brings it up. Jayden acts exactly as normal, leading the others in training. There’s no fight.

Jayden sleeps in his own room that night.

A couple more times he comes to Antonio at night to talk about her. It’s usually after the worst fights, the ones where someone is hurt. Antonio listens and asks the right questions to keep him going, makes no judgments and never talks about it afterwards. This is Jayden’s to deal with, and Antonio will let him deal with it.

And then Lauren returns.

Antonio doesn’t really care about her at the time; he’s more occupied with Jayden, sick and shaking after whatever Fiera’s hit him with. The others have no idea what’s going on, though, and they’re held up for several frustrating minutes until he can finally persuade them to move this to the House. Lauren follows them, looking vaguely overwhelmed; Mia seems to have noticed, as she keeps the conversation light and one sided, freeing Lauren from the need to do anything more than nod or make vague noises.

Back at the House he brings Jayden straight to the infirmary, calling to Lauren “Do you know anything about this?” to get her away from the others. She follows him gratefully, helping him ease Jayden onto the bed and brushing his hair back gently.

“You’re so big, little brother,” she murmurs. Antonio turns away, rummaging far more loudly than necessary on the nearest trolley to give them as much time as possible.

“They’re called Fire Flashers,” she says a moment later, more loudly, and Antonio turns back to them. “They use our own Shiba power to burn us up from inside. Jayden will need to rest, but he should be all right.”

“Better me than you,” Jayden murmurs.

“His hands are burned,” she tells Antonio, who goes back to the trolley for what he needs.

“Can you do it?” he asks, sitting on the edge of the bed and reaching for Jayden’s hands.

“Pardon?”

“The Sealing Symbol. Can you do it?”

She looks at Jayden, confused. “Jayden, I thought…”

“Only Antonio,” Jayden says, eyes closed as Antonio treats his hands. “Only him. I needed him.”

“All right,” she says, a little uncertain. “Yes, Antonio, I can do it.” She shifts a little. “I’m sorry if this is rude, but – who are you? Mentor Ji told us you were here, but he didn’t tell us anything about you.”

“He’s mine,” Jayden says.

“Painkillers make him a bit loopy,” Antonio tells Lauren, ignoring the fact that he hasn’t given Jayden anything. “We were friends as children, Jayden and me. A couple of years after you left, I guess, he was seven. I promised to come back and help him when the Nighlok rose, and I kept my promise.”

“You promised – when you were…seven?”

“Eight. I’m about half a year older than he is. And yes. I promised when I was eight.”

“He’s mine,” Jayden says again, “leave’im alone.”

“It’s fine,” Antonio says, watching Lauren. “Of course she has questions. I’m happy to explain anything you need, Lauren.” He smiles, the smile that usually makes Jayden grin back at him.

Lauren only nods, but she looks a little easier. “I’m very grateful, of course,” she says awkwardly, “that you’ve been so – so good for him, because I can see you have been. I’m just…”

“Still in shock,” Antonio agrees. “I’m going to get you both something to drink, and I’ll bring some water and cloths – you’re very warm, Jay. I’ll keep the others out for now, Lauren. Would you like me to tell them about you?”

“Mentor,” Jayden murmurs, “they might be upset if they know you knew already.”

“Got it,” Antonio promises. “I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”


	4. Chapter 4

He brings back the water and cloths, juice for both of them to get some sugar into them and tea for Jayden for later. The others haven’t made any attempt to get in, but they’re clearly curious.

He turns to Mentor when he’s closed the infirmary door again. “She says you should tell us. She wants to stay with Jayden for a little while.”

Mentor nods, heaving a sigh, and sits down.

Antonio pays enough attention to comment where it’s necessary, but not much more than that. The others, he notes, are mostly sorry for the siblings, rather than angry with their father, but that’s better than the other way around. They seem completely open to having Lauren join them.

They haven’t thought it through. Lauren’s the Red Ranger. She fights with Jayden’s weapons and Zords. They can’t both fight together. If Lauren’s fighting, Jayden will be sidelined, and Antonio knows how much that will eat at him.

Mentor brings food into the infirmary and reports that Jayden’s still recovering and Lauren’s staying with him. The others drift off to bed, discussing the ‘Welcome Lauren’ party they’re planning for tomorrow. Antonio crosses to the infirmary door, leaning against it for a moment. The siblings are talking quietly; he can’t make out the words, but it doesn’t really matter. He turns away, leaving them to it.

He sleeps in Jayden’s room that night.

 

Antonio finds Lauren outside the morning they’re all planning to leave, after Master Xandred's defeat. He hadn’t realized she was out there when he went out to check the weather, but she looks small and alone and he can’t turn away once he’s seen her.

He rounds the bench to come from in front of her rather than from behind. “Morning, Lauren.”

“Good morning, Antonio,” she answers. “Did my brother send you out to check on me?”

“I haven’t spoken to Jayden this morning. I come out to check the weather most mornings.”

“Really? Why?”

“I’m a fisherman by trade. That’s how I make my living. The weather affects that, so I’ve gotten in the habit, of checking every morning.”

“Oh,” Lauren says. “You know that if you ever need –“

“I know,” Antonio cuts her off. It’s a little rude, but he’s had this conversation with Jayden, and while he knows they mean it well he’s tired of the Shiba siblings assuming he needs help. “I manage, thank you.”

Lauren looks away. “That was rude, wasn’t it? I’m sorry. I’m still getting used to…and I wanted to thank you, and now I’ve insulted you instead.”

“You haven’t insulted me,” he says automatically, and then realizes what she’s said. “Thank me? Why?”

“For Jayden. He talks about you. What a great fighter you are, how nice and funny and strong and brave –“ Antonio starts to speak – anything to make her stop – and she finishes quietly “How amazed he is that you came back to him.”

A moment later she flinches. “Not – he didn’t think you were lying, but…”

“I know,” Antonio says again. He’s had this conversation with Jayden, too. “He thought it was just kids’ stuff. Me playing around.”

“Yes,” she says, relieved.

Antonio thinks for a moment. “There was a Nighlok, a while back, turned people into kids. Proper kids, they lost all their adult memories and everything. It took Jayden back to four years old. He’ll tell you he doesn’t remember if you ask, but…he wanted you. Desperately. You’re what he asked for.”

Lauren has bowed her head, avoiding his eyes. “We were close as children.”

“You can be close again now. I know it’s really awkward and difficult, but you can get it back if you want it.” He can’t help the way his voice wavers at the end.

“I do want,” she says, head still down. Her voice is very distant. “I just don’t know how. He loves you. I think. I’m not good at people, and I’m not good at him – but I think he loves you. Be careful with him.”

“I’ve always loved Jayden,” Antonio tells her. “There were eight years there where I didn’t know it, but I’ve always loved him.”

“Good.” Still terrifyingly distant, and Antonio doesn’t know how to bring her back.

On impulse, he slides along the bench until they’re almost touching. “He wants to get to know you again. All the things you’re feeling, so is he. He’s not very good at people either. Tell him what you’re feeling.”

She drags her eyes up to meet his. “Will that help?”

“It’ll be a good first step,” he promises.

She nods slowly. “He was really four?” she asks, smiling.

“He woke me up in the morning because he wasn’t allowed to get up on his own, because the cookies kept going missing,” Antonio informs her solemnly.

She laughs, startling herself with the sound. “He did! I’d forgotten that, but he used to get up and eat the cookies!” She grins at Antonio, conspiratorial, and she’s suddenly very like Jayden for all they share no features beyond hair colour. “I used to help him, sometimes. When Ji wasn’t looking.”

“No wonder he missed you so badly. I had to bribe him into having a fry for breakfast, was Ji strict about food?”

He leads her through recollections for a while. She laughs a couple of more times, looking younger every time she does it, remembering things she’d forgotten during her years of training. Antonio listens carefully, asking just enough to keep her talking.

Eventually she stops, studying him. “I see why he loves you,” she says, mostly to herself.

“I’m taken,” Antonio tells her, mostly serious.

She laughs softly. “Don’t worry, he’d fight for you and I’m pretty sure he’d win. I’m not stupid enough to get between you.”

“You’re not staying.” Antonio’s not quite sure when he realized it. She hasn’t said anything about her plans; they’d assumed she was staying on in the Shiba House. It’s her responsibility now, after all.

“Neither are you.”

“I’m coming back. I’m making myself better for him.”

She smiles faintly. “I’m not going far. I’m trying not to make things worse for him. I’ll see him. Often. But – slow is the way to go, I think.”

Antonio nods. “Please make sure he knows that. He’ll think you’re leaving.”

“I promise.” She stands, studying him for a moment. “I wish I’d had someone like you, Antonio Garcia.”

“Anything he doesn’t need of me is yours,” Antonio says, giving it the weight of a solemn oath.

Lauren nods, accepting it. “Thank you.” She glances towards the house. “Time to get ready. I hope I’ll see you soon.”

“I hope so too, Lauren.”

She’s gone by the time he joins the others in the living room. Jayden is nodding along as they describe their plans, smiling because he’s glad they’re happy.

“I’m going to catch fish no one’s ever seen before,” he says when he’s asked. “And then I thought I’d come back here.”

“Back here?” Mike repeats.

“Yeah. I have customers who depend on me for their fresh fish. I can’t let them down.”

“You’d never let anyone down,” Emily declares loyally, and he smiles, pulling her in and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Beautiful Emily, never change,” he tells her solemnly.

She laughs, turning to answer Mia’s question about her plans. Antonio lets her go, looking back at Jayden.

 _Coming back?_ Jayden mouths.

 _Always_ , Antonio answers, and smiles.


End file.
